Chin Implant- So Glad I Did It!!(26 YO Female - Toronto, ON)

I originally had no intentions of posting my own...

I originally had no intentions of posting my own procedure but was asked by another user to submit and since I found Real Self so helpful in my decision, I am going to post my experience and results.

I have always been somewhat introverted about my profile; aside from having my father's nose, I had a pretty receded chin and hated to be viewed from the side or have my photo taken from that angle. When I am at my ideal weight (which is rare! haha), it doesn't bother me as much, but whenever I would put on a few pounds, It all went straight to my face and I would instantly have a double chin- just looking down would cause it. One day I decided to look into chin augmentation and realized that the quick recovery time and subtle change really appealed to me. I am also getting married next summer so I thought this year would be idea.

I searched online for a surgeon and looked at many, many reviews in the GTA. I came across Dr. Lawrence Tong, who I saw quite a few people called a "perfectionist" ( to me that is an ideal quality in a plastic surgeon). I had a consultation which was very helpful- he laid everything out for me, showed me the implants, gave me his feedback on which size and I felt no pressure one way or the other. When I left I was fairly sure I wanted to do it but not 100%. After thinking about it, I decided to go ahead and also came back for another consultation. I decided to go with the under chin incision as the idea of a small scar was not an issue for me and the healing time was considered much faster. I wanted to be back at work within a week or so and also there is less risk for nerve damage. We also decided on the XL implant with wings.

RESULTS:
I had my procedure done on November 14th. I elected for "twilight" anaesthesia simply because of the price difference. I was told I may wake during the procedure and at that point would be given more but would feel no pain. Surprisingly I never dozed off and was very aware the entire time- however, I can only remember feeling really good. There was no pain and I could hear the Doctor which was surreal. There was one moment where I felt pain in my teeth and made noise and I was quickly given more anaesthesia. To be honest, I was completely ok with the twilight and would do it again. When I was moved into recovery I fell asleep and awoke a few hours later. I was very emotional and cried for no reason but the nurses were wonderful. Dr. Tong even came and saw me before I left which was nice as he applied more bandages because I was so swollen.

I would say I am about 99% healed at this point. I only needed the pain medication for 4 days and afterwards was fine without it. The swelling for the first week was significant and really quite scary. My chin was very square and enlarged and very intense but I knew from other reviews and my surgeon that this was to be expected. After some time, the swelling subsided and at a week I had my bandages removed. I was more nervous after the bandages were removed because I thought my chin was too square and masculine, however, the swelling continued to decrease daily and I think is pretty much done. I think a large part of it is also that your face is different, however slight, and seeing yourself differently after years of looking in the mirror simply takes getting used to.

I am posting before and afters- please be kind! I had no intention of posting photos and these were taken for comparison by me. The befores were done last minute before I left the day before surgery. PLEASE ask any and all questions and I will be happy to share!

Side photo exactly one month post op

14 Dec 2013

30 days post

Front photo 1 month post op

14 Dec 2013

30 days post

Slightly Unhappy with Front View of my chin

9 Jan 2014

2 months post

I have just returned from a Holiday where I took a lot of photos. I am a little bit upset about the results of the photos as the front view of my face is not quite as feminine as I would like. From the side, the results are what I had wanted but from the front I find that my chin is more square than I would like. I am not sure if trimming the wings more would have resulted in more of the aesthetic I would have liked or if it is just me adjusting to my new face. Before my chin implant, when I would smile I would get more of a feminine, pointed chin whereas now it almost widens my face. However, I am hoping that in a few months perhaps this will go away as the implant continues to adjust under my muscle. I think I will post again around the 6+ month mark and see how I feel then. I am not unhappy that I had the procedure done because overall, it is an improvement to my face, but I am slightly concerned about the change in my appearance when I smile.

Front View and Side View with a "Before"

12 Jan 2014

2 months post

Still struggling with the way my chin looks from the front. However, I am starting to think that if I lose some weight I will lose some of the largeness I am seeing in my face.

Approximately 8 months post op

26 Jun 2014

7 months post

I am now pretty comfortable with the way my face looks. In some photos, my chin looks a little bit more square or masculine than I would like, but before the surgery I hated ANY profile shots so it is a good trade off and my jaw is definitely more defined with the implant which is definitely pleasing. I think there are other types of chin implants that perhaps would have been better suited to my small face but not a lot I can do about that now! I am getting married in 4 weeks and have lost a few pounds and feel that this has helped with the look of the implant. When my face is a bit more full there is a bit of fat that gathers at each end of the implant that isn't particularly pleasing.

Overall I had a wonderful experience, very little pain or discomfort and quick healing time. It really is true that it takes a lot of time to adjust to the difference- months to be honest! Happy now with the results :)